Maintaining a healthy weight is important for our elderly population. It makes recovery from illness easier and helps us to remain stronger. Sometimes, due to illness or a heatwave, a person’s appetite can decrease and the need for extra calories in the diet is advantageous. If food isn’t appetising then smoothies are a great way to add in calories, vitamins, minerals and hydration.
To make the perfect high calorie smoothie you need a few base ingredients. Once you have these you can play around with the flavours as much as you like without going too far wrong – ie coffee, chocolate, strawberry, mango, peanut butter, banana…. you name it you can make it!
For a dairy base, here are some calorific ingredients:
- Double cream – 100mls (458 kcals)
- Dried milk powder – 57gms (201 kcals)
- Full fat milk – 125mls (79 kcals)
- Vanilla ice-cream – 3 scoops (244 kcals)
- Dairy free ice-cream (Swedish glace) – 100mls (91 kcals)
- Sweetened soy milk/almond milk – 250mls (56 kcals)
- Coconut milk (can) – 400mls (676 kcals)
- Oat cream – 100mls (150 kcals)
- Creamy oat fraiche – 100gms (177 kcals)
- Nut butters – 1 heaped teaspoon 18gs (117 kcals)
- Dates – 60gms (194 kcals)
- Avocado – ½ medium (139 kcals)
- Coconut flour – 50gms (176 kcals)
- Ground flax seed – 2 tbl spoons (160 kcals)
- Oats – 50gms (182 kcals)
- Cashew nuts – 100gms (573 kcals)
- Banana – medium (100 kcals)
- Protein powder – 1 scoop (100 kcals)
- Olive oil – 1 tbl spoon (123 kcals)
- Coconut oil – 1 tbl spoon (120 kcals)
High calorie smoothies
- 250mls of non-dairy milk or full fat milk
- 250mls of oat cream or double cream
- 250gms rolled oats
- 1 tbl spoon honey
- Cocoa powder to taste
- 250 mls almond milk or full fat milk
- 3 scoops vanilla ice cream dairy free or dairy
- 2 cups of strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250mls of non-dairy or full fat milk
- 1 banana
- ½ avocado
- 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
- 1 cup ice cream dairy or non dairy (preferably similar flavour to the protein powder)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup oats
- 4 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 ripe bananas
- ½ can or half a fresh peach
- ½ small mango
- 250mls dairy free or full fat milk
- 3 tablespoons (or more) oat cream / oat fraiche or double cream
- 3 ice cubes or a scoop of ice-cream if so desired!